BIG BEAR LAKE – In a season full of adversity, the Big Bear football team showed more resiliency than it knew it had to advance to the CIF-SS East Valley quarterfinals.

That resiliency led the Bears to a win over No. 4 seed Santa Paula last week and took them to overtime against Maranatha on Saturday, but the Minutemen grabbed a 23-22 victory.

“I’m so proud of this team,” Big Bear coach Dave Griffiths said. “We’ve been through so much as far as injuries and off-the-field stuff but we never gave up, never gave in. We didn’t in this game, either.”

Maranatha (11-1) advanced to the East Valley semifinals – where it will play at No. 1 seed St. Margaret’s – when Daniel Kopplin scored on a 5-yard run in overtime. Jake Forrester kicked the game-winning extra point.

“This was a tough win,” Maranatha coach Joel Murphy said. “I’m not even ready to think about St. Margaret’s at this point. I knew it would be a battle. Big Bear is a great team, a classy team.”

Big Bear (7-4-1) scored first in overtime on junior quarterback Craig Hall’s 2-yard run. But Eddie Murro couldn’t handle a low snap on the following extra point, and Hall’s kick was blocked.

A pass interference penalty on Brennan Sharp against Cornell on a third and six from the Big Bear 10-yard line set up Kopplin’s game-winning run.

Hall also missed a game-winning 25-yard field-goal attempt with 26.8 seconds left in regulation. Hall, who rushed for 99 yards on 13 carries, set up the attempt with a 15-yard run on third and goal from the Minutemen 22 on the previous play.

“Those types of things happen,” Griffiths said. “Without Craig’s running, we wouldn’t have had a chance.”

Defensive back Chris Putman returned a Schilz interception 36 yards for Big Bear’s first touchdown, with Willy Kelsey running in a 2-point conversion to give Big Bear an 8-2 lead.

Fullback Brandon LaBate, who ran for 86 yards on 15 carries, scored Big Bear’s second touchdown on an 18-yard run and the following 2-point conversion.

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